The town of Porto Moniz

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Presentation

General information
The small peninsula shelters houses of the fishermen. Until 1980, hunting for the whale was practiced there. The few hotels and restaurants of Oporto Moniz make a town of stage of it.
Oporto Moniz has the only sheltered port of the northern coast of the island, protected well by a flattened spit of land, which lengthens in the direction of a round rock small island, the small island Mole (ilhéu Mole). Oporto Moniz is one of the oldest communes of the north of the island but also one most visited of because of the presence of superb natural swimming pools. On the heights, the white church goes back to 1668.
It has also a heliport especially reserved to the tourists and for the urgencies. The commune of Oporto Moniz is composed of four parishes: Achadas da Cruz, Oporto Moniz (seat of the commune), Ribeira da Janela, and Seixal.

Etymology
Oporto Moniz bears the name of one of the first colonists to have invested it: Francisco Moniz.

Situation

The picturesque village of fishermen is located at 48 km of Funchal, on the northern coast of the Madeira.

Oporto Moniz was very a long time insulated moreover island: it is only after the second world war, that the road was built which connects it to the commune of São Vicente.

There exists also an rapid access by a tunnel via the old way, which furrows the mountain from the south in north with the point of Encumeada on the heights, offering a spectacular sight on the slopes north.

It is also possible to reach Oporto Moniz by the road of the west passing by Ponta do Pargo and Achadas da Cruz, or by the road of Paúl da Serra.

Latitude: 32.85 (32°51’) NR

Longitude: 17.1667 (17°10’) O

Visits

Ilheu Mole
Rock small island where some houses of fishermen of cachalot are.

Piscinas naturais
Oporto Moniz has natural swimming pools very appreciated by the tourists. These basins were created by sharp-edged and blackish secretions of lava, which formed of the small projections at the bottom of cliff. The basins communicate between them and it is possible to bathe or take a sun bath there safe from tides of north sometimes a little strong.



View-points overhang the pits and the natural arches dug by the sea in the rocks of black lava.

Extremely of João Batista
The strong history of João Batista was built in 1730 in order to protect itself from the attacks of the pirates. It was restored to become the aquarium of Madeira.
Aquário da Madeira
The Aquarium from Madeira to Oporto Moniz lodges approximately 70 marine species which live in the sea around Madeira. The 12 giant aquariums show sharks, lines of Madeira, lines pastenagues, octopuses, starfishes and much other species.



Center Ciência Viva
The Center of alive Science is an arts center for adults and children of which the goal is to accommodate national and international exposures on the topic of science.
Excursions
An excursion makes it possible to follow, upstream of Oporto Moniz, starting from Lamaceiros, the levada Central C which will lead in the middle of the valley of will ribeira da Janela, more the long course of water of Madeira which crosses a forest of eucalyptus then the lauraceous ones.

History, literature, arts, traditions, legends, religions, myths, symbols…

History

The zone of Oporto Moniz, was formerly called Ponta do Tristão, but was taken in 1533 the name of Oporto Moniz in honor of Francisco Moniz, one of the first inhabitants of this area, was originating in Algarve in Portugal continental, and married to D. Filipa da Câmara, grand-daughters of João Gonçalves Zarco, first explorer on the island and recipient of the donation of the grounds which compose today the seat of the commune.

Francisco Moniz in addition set up a vault, Nossa Senhora da Conceição, in the neighborhoods of 1574.

Oporto Moniz is one of the oldest parishes of the north of the Madeira (1574).

Economy
The town of Oporto Moniz can be regarded as one of the important producers of wine and fish suppliers of the island. The insulation of Oporto Moniz made it autonomous until there is very little. Its population lived of its agriculture in terrace and its local fishing. It is tourism which opened this well protected port city. Today, its activities are primarily agricultural and tourist: a good amount of hotels opened thanks to the popularity of the natural swimming pools.